Spanish Highs provide year round mountain guiding in the Sierra Nevada, Spain and the Andes. Local guides using local people with local knowledge. Experience you can trust!

We are the most experienced, active and knowledgeable mix of foreign and spanish mountain guides operating in the Sierra Nevada. We also run regular expeditions to Patagonia and the Andes. Fully insured and licensed for both guiding activities and for operating as a travel agency.

Our guiding team and philosophy

Qualified local guides (speaking english and spanish), living & working permanently in Spain, with vast knowledge and experience of the Sierra Nevada in all weathers

We insist that our guides have to be the best! The hundreds of comments from previous clients are testament to a way of working that is uniquely "Spanish Highs".

The Spanish Highs Team

Experienced, qualified and friendly team with intimate knowledge of the Sierra Nevada in all weathers

Enthusiastic, knowledgeable people committed to the mountains and environment in which they work

Most work closely with local people in their spare time in refuge restoration and conservation work.

Since 2002 we have set ourselves incredibly high standards. Not just in mountain competence, but in the ability to communicate, interpret and inform. It is also most important for our clients to have fun!

All our trips have state of the art satellite communicators and access to emergency services at all times, as vast areas of the Sierra Nevada and Patagonia have no mobile signal.

Knowledgeable and friendly guided walking. I had never taken a guided walk before so I didn’t really know what to expect, nor if I’d enjoy spending hours each day in the company of complete strangers. How would they deal with a fairly taciturn client who was quite happy walking several miles in complete silence? Richard’s company is first class and I need not have worried. He has a well chosen roster of seasoned professionals who, aside from being excellent guides to the stunning area, are extremely personable, friendly and totally sensitive to the client’s walking styles.

I was fortunate to be accompanied by four different guides over the course of a week. All had warm, interesting personalities and were completely different but each an absolute pleasure to spend a day with in the mountains.

The walking can be as hard or as soft as you like. They instinctively know how to gently push you beyond your usual limits and the walking was invariably stunning and varied.
These people love this area and it was an honour to share their knowledge of, and their passion for the mountains - book with confidence, you’ll be well looked-after.
Highly recommended.

Nick via Trip Advisor

A note about our Founder

Richard Hartley - Mountaineer and Adventurer

Has led groups into the mountains since 1979 with 24 alpine seasons (22 ascents of Mont Blanc)

TripAdvisor

I can recommended Spanish Highs. They have vast knowledge of hiking, the mountains, surroundings, animal life, medically trained and are well equipped so you feel safe no matter the weather conditions present

Jesmyn Stockholm, Sweden

We went to Las Alpujarras for a week of hiking with Spanish Highs. They did a great job for us. There were several guides throughout the week, and they were superb. A good guide can make all the difference on these walks. I'd happily recommend Spanish Highs for guided hikes.

Maczi Dublin, Ireland

My 4th trip with Spanish Highs. Mulhacen, winter skills training, Patagonia ice cap, so my endorsement is both well founded and based on a range of experiences. The reason why I keep coming back? They are just in a league in their own. Consistently knowledgeable, enthusiastic and just great fun to be with.

Stewart Thomson London, England

Acción Eventos - José Luis Ferrero

José Luis Ferrero runs "Acción y Eventos" which develops original and interesting activity programs, for groups, companies, collectives and event co-ordination. They integrate quality, innovation and customization towards the satisfaction of their customers. He is an very experienced, qualified mountaineer and skier who has lived and worked in the Sierra Nevada most of his life.